PLANS to close rubbish tips in Surrey could be scrapped as Surrey County Council looks towards better education around recycling and even improving the sites, councillors have been told.

This will be welcome news to thousands of residents who signed petitions and launched campaigns to save their community recycling centres from proposed closures.

Haslemere Town Council warned Surrey in December 2018 that its proposed closure of the Cranleigh centre had the potential to cause gridlock on rural roads.

The town council objected, saying: "The closure of Cranleigh tip would have a tremendous impact on the Witley tip, which would be the nearest alternative, with users increasing volumes of traffic along the route, which are generally B roads and country lanes."

Surrey County Council cabinet members decided to halt the closures earlier this year and commissioned a task group of councillors to review the use of the sites following a public outcry against the plans.

Last Monday, the group reported back to councillors with an update of the review, indicating it was looking towards a recommendation not to close the four sites in Cranleigh, Bagshot, Dorking and Warlingham and that more money could be saved by improving recycling.

The group might also recommend recycling centress offered more facilities, believing Surrey could make more savings if it improved the sites and made it easier to recycle. It will report its full recommendations to cabinet members in September.